Liya Safina
Liya Safina is a digital designer and innovation expert living in Hawaii. Over the years she has experienced a variety of leadership scenarios, from bootstrapping a startup to designing for…
Design is how things go from functional to meaningful. The founders in this section understand that. They’ve built design agencies, product studios, UX consultancies, and creative firms that shape how people interact with everything from apps to physical spaces.
These interviews cover the full design spectrum. Graphic design. UX and UI. Industrial design. Interior design. Brand identity. Web design. The kind of work that most people don’t notice until it’s done badly. Which, if you think about it, is the highest compliment.
The founders here talk about the business of design, not just the craft. How to price creative work. How to manage client expectations. How to build a team of creative people without everything devolving into chaos. And how to stay creatively fulfilled while running a business, which turns out to be harder than it sounds.
You’ll find insights on design thinking, user research, building a portfolio, and the eternal debate between form and function. If you’re a designer, a founder who needs design help, or just someone who appreciates things that work well and look good doing it, these conversations are for you.
Liya Safina is a digital designer and innovation expert living in Hawaii. Over the years she has experienced a variety of leadership scenarios, from bootstrapping a startup to designing for…
As the co-founder of Koi Studios, Anyi Sun partners with product teams of all sizes to bring product visions to life through exceptional UX. Koi Studios was founded with the…
Elyse Bensusan is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, interior designer and philanthropist. Starting her career as an Ivy League-trained psychologist, she developed a keen interest in Environmental psychology. This interest…
Wenting Zhang is co-founder and CEO of Typogram — a design software company. Previously she worked at Adobe, and her projects there include Adobe XD, Adobe Illustrator on iPad, and Adobe…
Dan is a web developer & designer by trade. For over 10 years he’s been working as a freelance consultant in various industries including fintech, telco, architecture, medical, digital signage,…
Tom Garcy, with a 15-year tenure in design, branding, UX, and product design, began his career as an art director at an advertising agency. His transition to the digital space…
At just 18 years old, Nandu is an exuberant solopreneur running a 5-figure design business and Notion template store. Leveraging his skills and passion for design, technology, and helping others,…
Sun Ah is a passionate entrepreneur on a mission to build the most influential design community in North America. She founded LUX decor in 2003 and scaled the business with…
Hannah Stombler-Levine (also known as Hannah Ayla) is a photographer and brand designer with 15 years of experience working with well-known brands such as Apple, Nespresso, Williams Sonoma and Zillow….
Eri Iozdjan is an entrepreneur with an innovative approach to business. Immigrating to the U.S. from Bulgaria at age five, Eri’s journey is a story of determination and resilience. Eri’s…
Nga Nguyen is one of the co-founders of TemplatesGo.com, a company that was established in June 2022 with the aim of simplifying the writing process for legal documents by creating…
Althea Wiles is the owner and creative director of Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She is also the founder and education director of J Althea Creative,…